The following statement is in reference to the rover 3.9 as fitted to my vehicle:
Some time ago, (years) I contacted Cost Effective Maintenance in Sumner Park Brisbane - regarding the carbon fouling issue in the upper valvetrain of my POS v8.
(There is a thread on the forum appropriately named)
It looks not unlike yours... actually worse, but I digress...
After an objective discussion about relative merits of decontamination using flushing treatments versus rebuilds etc, I decided to experiment with the flush treatments as a no-lose-situation.
The results actually surprised me quite a bit. You can read about that in the other thread though.
What I can say is that placing any "reliance" on a rovers upper valvetrain lubrication method is akin to putting a dagger to your temple.
While someone may have their own tried and true methodology, it doesn't mean that it will work for you. So I suggest that a bit of pragmatic research would show you the relative similarities between buick, leyland and holden 253 smallblock v8's and you will come up with some design similarities that are too hard to ignore.
So, fwiw, learning about the limitations of the holdens oiling system, the rovers upper valvetrain restrictions that cause the carbon fouling and the terrier 4.4 which is a hybrid of both from a design perspective, and you will end up at Chevytown or back in buickland, looking at the 300 smallblock and even 350.
What you can do, is take all reasonable steps to ensure primary oil pressure is good and volume is good. Then moving away from cast/pressed/stamped steel rockers to a properly machined pedestal/roller rocker arrangement which gives you adjustment and requires less lubrication. From there you can also decide if you want to keep the standard ratio rocker or increase it, to get some better breathing from the camshaft, without having to completely tear into the whole engine. (so long as you know your CR and piston to deck heights)
The only issue that really proves to be a pita is the block's bellhousing pattern, ultimately restricting your transmission choices, unless you find a bellhousing adapter or somesuch.
Some say the 4.4 ran hot in an RRC. I don't know if that's true or not, but it can't be much worse than the 3.9 and the woefully inadequate underbonnet ventilation that RRC's have had since day dot.
From what I know the 4.4 is getting pretty thin on the ground in terms of parts availability now - it's firmly up there in collectors (p76 owners) ebay watchlists etc and that means any parts you're looking for that are unique to the 4.4 like valley covers etc are either NLA or unobtanium. From that perspective I query if it is a worthwhile exercise, but equally understand that it's an engine, it's sitting there and you can put it to use - which is a better option than the rover v8 if you ask me....
But that rover v8 might not be cactus - unless your cam lobes are buggered and your dizzy end float is measured in inches and your engine starts with a knock knock knockin on heavens door...
You'd be surprised how far those rovers can go even when they are completely munted. You should see how mine has survived two P.O's abuse and I still managed to get another 100K out of the original without a rebuild (yet).
So that charcoal in the rocker? it's easily fixed with the CEM flushing oil concentrate over a period of time, but you have to be mindful of how to use it and how effective it is will depend on your care regime.
So - rover out and terrier in, or leave it in and throw a few $ at it until it's kaput.... both valid options.
It's literally down to the money and how easy that swap will be.
Roads?.. Where we're going, we don't need roads...
MY92 RRC 3.9 Ardennes Green
MY93 RRC LSE 300tdi/R380/LT230 British Racing Green
MY99 D2 V8 Kinversand
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Originally Posted by Phil 850
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